Jeudi: The Art of Beauty

Now that it is officially summer and I keep hearing how crushingly hot it is everywhere but where I live, it seemed like offering a cooling skin splash would brighten things up.  This is an easy to make concoction that can be used on the face and/or body for a refreshing boost of energy and alertness.  Made with purpose, it can also help you focus on a slow day especially if you plan to undertake a little magick.

First off, you will need to make a cucumber tea.  This is easily accomplished by pealing about half of a medium cucumber and cutting it into slices.  Place these into a Pyrex measuring cup that will hold two or more cups of liquid.  Pour 1 cup of close to boiling water over the cucumbers, stir, and cover with a paper or cloth towel.  Let stand for fifteen minutes, remove the towel, stir again and then strain through cheesecloth or a fine strainer into another container.  Allow to cool. 

Some experts refer to this as a decoction, others an infusion.  In hoodoo, all such things which require herbs to be steeped in boiling water are known as teas. 

Now you are ready to assemble your cucumber water.  In a glass or heavy plastic bottle combine:

5 oz of cucumber tea

½ oz lemon juice

2 ½ oz spring water

1 drop of rose essential oil

Stopper your bottle and shake gently to mix.  Keep this in your frig and apply to clean skin with a cotton square or washcloth before moisturizing.  This will keep for a couple of weeks, and will help you focus when the heat and other distractions get you down.  Putting a sprayer on the bottle allows you to mist your face and neck at any time of day, even if you’re wearing makeup.  A votre santé ~

Header: Juliette Recamier by Ingres